Governor’s Cabinet Travels to Utica to Identify Ways to Enhance Economic Opportunity and Strengthen Communities in the Mohawk Valley

Governor Launches Next Phase of Nano Utica Initiative with Nearly 2,000 New Jobs Expected and Over $2 Billion in Initial Private Investment

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today traveled to Utica to bring the second phase of his “Capital for a Day” initiative to the Mohawk Valley region. The Governor’s cabinet met with community members, business leaders and partners in government to identify ways the State can be a partner in enhancing economic opportunity and strengthening communities in the Mohawk Valley. As a result of feedback from stakeholders, the Governor announced a comprehensive 31-point plan to advance the Mohawk Valley region which includes an historic jobs and investment announcement at SUNY Poly made earlier in the day and $9.4 million for community resiliency efforts along the Mohawk River.

“Today’s was all about the spirit of partnership and working with our colleagues in local government to address the needs, priorities and ideas of this region,” said Governor Cuomo. “We brought our whole team here and had a very productive time focusing on the Mohawk Valley. I’m excited to see us build on the progress we’ve made in the weeks and months to come.”

Capital for a Day started with Governor Cuomo hosting a morning cabinet meeting where senior State officials and the Governor’s cabinet were welcomed to the Mohawk Valley region. Attendees included Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Empire State Development CEO Howard Zemsky, Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, Montgomery County Executive Matt Ossenfort and Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri.
Later in the morning, Governor Cuomo traveled to Quad-C on the campus of SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica. At the facility, the Governor announced that global technology leader ams AG, a multinational company that creates high performance sensor solutions and analog ICs, plans to generate more than 1,000 new jobs and over $2 billion in initial private investment to support a cutting edge, 360,000 square foot wafer fabrication facility to be constructed at the Nano Utica site in Marcy. The Governor also announced that GE Global Research will expand its New York global operations to the Mohawk Valley, serving as the anchor tenant of Quad-C, with least 470 jobs direct expected to be created and another 350 in the subsequent five years. Details of the announcement are available here.

In the afternoon, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul hosting a concluding cabinet meeting where senior administration officials reported back on ways the State can help create real, lasting solutions to enhance the community. In this meeting, a comprehensive plan was announced to advance the Mohawk Valley region. The plan is a result of more than two dozen meetings with community members, business leaders and partners in government, and includes the addition of new funds, programs and initiatives organized in the following two categories of action items: Enhancing Economic Opportunity and Strengthening Communities. The comprehensive plan is outlined in full at the bottom of this release.

Today was the second Capital for a Day hosted by the Governor’s administration; the first was held in the Finger Lakes region earlier this summer.

Top Announcements in the Plan Include:

$10 million to purchase land from Oneida County to expand the EOC and State Police facility.

$9.4 million in resiliency projects in Oneida, Herkimer, Schoharie and Montgomery Counties to address flooding on the Mohawk River.

$9.15 million for arterial improvements along Route 5S in Utica to promote pedestrian safety and traffic calming.

$2 million in housing funds to build 50 affordable units in Utica.

$1 million to start a workforce development program to train 21st century energy professionals at Herkimer Community College.

Execution of a multi-agency MOU to align regulations and inspection processes to protect migrant workers and promote agricultural businesses.

‘Capital for a Day’ Events

OTDA Commissioner Sam Roberts watches Utica Refugee Summer Academy Students check out an American fire truck for the first time.

Commissioners Ball, Zucker and Mussolino are joined by Elizabeth Deleon Bhargava, Governor Cuomo’s Deputy secretary for labor, to listen to the concerns and challenges faced by New York’s farmers at the Agricultural Solutions Roundtable. (Health)

Citizen preparedness training In Utica. (DHSES)

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente said, “Governor Cuomo understands the economic potential of the Mohawk Valley and thanks to initiatives like Capital for a Day and the Regional Economic Development Councils, Oneida County is well on its way to having a more healthy and vibrant economy. With this continued partnership, I am energized when I think of what can be accomplished and what the future holds for our communities.”

Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri said, “Utica has once again found its identity and we could not have done it without the partnership and commitment of Governor Cuomo,” said Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri. “We thank the Governor for bringing ‘Capital for a Day’ and his proactive, regional approach to economic development to our city. By working together, we can continue building momentum towards a more prosperous future.”

Senator Joseph A. Griffo said, “Today, the Mohawk Valley takes its next big step into the future of the 21st century. As we welcome the new partnership of G.E. and ams Technologies with SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Marcy, we look forward to the potentially historic economic transformation that such an opportunity could bring to our region as a leader in nanotechnology. The quality jobs, further investment and growth that this announcement promises can only help make our region bigger and better, and we commend the Governor for his strategic vision in recognizing all we had to offer in this endeavor. And to all the local, county and state leaders who never lost faith as a collective team that this day would come, we thank you for your perseverance.”

Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi said, “Governor Cuomo’s Capital for a Day has the entire state government focused on the Mohawk Valley like never before. Thanks to the Governor’s leadership, direct attention is being brought to the infrastructure and economic development projects that are essential to ensuring the continued growth and success of our region.”

Assemblyman Bill Magee said, “This has been a very productive day in the Mohawk Valley – community leaders have been able to work hand-in-hand with state agency officials on a whole host of local needs. We’ve already seen the Governor deliver results for the region today, and I’m excited to see what that partnership will mean for our region moving forward.”

Global technology leader ams AG, a multinational company that creates high performance sensor solutions and analog integrated circuits, will generate more than 1,000 new jobs and over $2 billion in initial private investment to support a cutting edge, 360,000 square foot wafer fabrication facility that will be constructed at the Nano Utica site in Marcy. More information is available here.

GE Global Research will expand its New York global operations to the Mohawk Valley, serving as the anchor tenant of Quad-C. The partnership among SUNY Poly, GE and affiliated corporations will create at least 470 jobs in the Mohawk Valley in the next five years and another 350 in the subsequent five years. More information is available here.

The New York Power Authority and Herkimer County Community College will create a $1 million joint training program that will share resources and curriculum between NYPA’s internal training facility at its Clark Energy Center and related facilities at the College. The partnership will train Mohawk Valley residents for jobs at NYPA and upgrade training of current NYPA workers to ensure that New York State can meet its future energy workforce needs.

The State will support the $9.15 million construction of the new Utica N-S Arterial Pedestrian Bridge to enhance connectivity to the re-energized Baggs Square while spurring lasting economic development. The Governor has also directed the Department of Transportation to commence early work to develop a sustainable and modern transportation corridor along a 0.7 mile segment of Route 5S in the City of Utica, which will include traffic-calming measures with the goal of reducing accidents by at least 50 percent a year.

The State Thruway Authority and Canals Corporation will create a new Taste NY Store and vending machines at the Lock E-13 Living History Rest Area in Montgomery County, which is set to open to the public this fall. The Taste NY store will provide a unique opportunity to feature some of New York’s best locally made and produced agricultural products from across the state to local residents and visitors alike.

The New York State Canal Corporation, Department of State and the City of Rome will pursue private investment in the rehabilitated Canal Terminal Building at Bellamy Harbor Park. The Canal Corporation will work with the City and the Department of State to issue a request for proposals for waterfront and recreation-related businesses to occupy the historic Terminal building by next summer – in time for the 2016 navigation season.

Empire State Development will establish a new hub at the Clark City Center, also known as the former Harza Building, to grow Utica College’s business and economic programs. ESD will provide more than $500,000 in funding to make improvements to the property for the facility to support more than 400 students and faculty.

The Department of Labor and the Department of Health have executed a Memorandum of Understanding to protect farm workers and promote the agricultural sector statewide, including the Mohawk Valley region. This will streamline the process the two State agencies use to inspect housing, which were for years different standards.

The State will establish the Mohawk Valley Agriculture-Labor Advisory Group and provide technical assistance to farmers across New York, including the Mohawk Valley to promote the region’s agricultural sector. A new online training portal will be created that better outlines requirements regarding wage deductions and an advisory group will be organized to inform future policy and practices.

The Division of Veterans Affairs will build on its education session held to assist Mohawk Valley region veterans understand and participate in the State procurement process. DVA will push for expansion of Mohawk Valley veteran-owned business participation in State contracts. Efforts statewide to date have resulted in 143 veteran-owned businesses being certified by the State and therefore eligible to participate in the bidding program.

The State will establish an Employer Resource Network with $80,000, which will unite businesses and social service agencies to improve job retention and advancement for low-wage and low-skilled workers.

The Department of Financial Services will create a comprehensive program to train financial professionals on best practices concerning the identification and prevention of elder financial exploitation. The Office of Children and Family Services and its agency partners will invest $300,000 to work closely with their community partners in the Mohawk Valley to target ýthe greatest needs and offer the highest impact services to the community to help stave off this abuse.

The Department of Financial Services will deploy its Mobile Command Center to the Mohawk Valley region to offer assistance to New York consumers at risk of foreclosure on their homes and borrowers facing difficulties with student loans. The Mobile Command Center will be deployed tomorrow, August 21, at Utica Public Library, 303 Genesee St., Utica, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Department of Financial Services will offer training in the Mohawk Valley to protect consumers against unfair debt collection and educate consumers on new regulations regarding debt collection set to take effect on August 30.

The State Liquor Authority will provide free Underage Drinking Prevention Training to help owners and staff identify and refuse service to minors – thus avoiding fines and penalties from the State Liquor Authority.

The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance will support a “Wheels to Work” program to ease rural transportation issues and improve access to jobs with $150,000 in funding. The “Wheels to Work” program helps families by providing down payments for cars, low- or no-interest car loans, insurance, and assistance with license and registration fees.

The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance will establish employment preparatory programs to assist newly arriving 16 to 21 year old refugees in the Mohawk Valley. The academy, which will receive $50,000 in funding, will address serious and wide ranging issue confronting refugee youth and young adultsý to ensure they are prepared for the world of work. This program has a proven track record of empowering youth to become self-sufficient adults who contribute to the continued rebirth of the Mohawk Valley.

Strengthening Communities

The State will spend approximately $10 million to purchase unused property at the former Oneida County airport to expand the State Emergency Operations Center and State Police Training facility.

The State will host Citizens Preparedness Training sessions in four different languages for residents to have the tools and resources to prepare for any type of disaster, respond accordingly and recover as quickly as possible to pre-disaster conditions. To date, 61,000 New Yorkers have been trained in the course. Prospective participants can sign up here.

The State will invest $9.4 million in NY Rising Community Reconstruction Plan projects to address flooding in Oneida, Herkimer, Schoharie and Montgomery Counties from the Mohawk River. A total of $8.1 million will be awarded for the first round of NY Rising Community Reconstruction Plan projects in response to 2013 Mohawk River flooding in Oneida, Schoharie Herkimer and Montgomery counties; each will receive $2.7 million. To complement these efforts, the State will also grant $1.3 million in funding to Oneida and Herkimer Counties to implement resiliency projects identified in recent flood studies for the region.

The Housing Trust Fund will administer $2 million in funding for 50 new affordable units at Roosevelt Residences in Corn Hill, one of Utica’s most impoverished neighborhoods. The development consists of the new construction of 25 buildings producing 50 affordable units (34 duplex, 16 stacked).

New York State Homes and Community Renewal will invest $250,000 to add 30 units of affordable housing in Gloversville through the Gloversville Housing and Neighborhood Improvement.· New York State Homes and Community Renewal will hold a Main Street Boot Camp in the Mohawk Valley to promote community development in the Mohawk Valley. This full-day conference will be designed to help the Mohawk Valley region embrace opportunities and address issues on the region’s Main Streets and downtown commercial districts. Workshop sessions addressing design, historic preservation, upper story housing development, and rehabilitation funding sources will be offered.

The Department of Environmental Conservation will install a water quality monitoring station on the Mohawk River to improve the river’s water quality and habitat. The DEC will grant $150,000 in funding for the monitoring station, which is part of the Mohawk River Action Agenda, and also develop strategies to restore water quality in the Utica portion of the river.· The New York Power Authority will enable free swimming and parking at Mine Kill State Park by covering the expenses of providing the services.

The State will fund the $80,000 expansion of the “Learn to Swim” program across New York by adding a total 15 new sites – including 5 parks in the Mohawk Valley. The Mohawk Valley expansion will include:

Gilbert Lake (Otsego, Laurens)

Glimmerglass (Otsego, Cooperstown)

Delta Lake (Oneida, Rome)—expansion of current program

Verona Beach (Oneida, Verona)

Mine Kill (Schoharie, North Blenheim)—expansion of current program

The Department of Health will expand naloxone training and establish access to the drug in Mohawk Valley pharmacies. DOH will train dozens of community members in life-saving naloxone anti-opioid overdose medication administration and partner with pharmacies to expand stocking of naloxone in its various formulations.

The State will establish a new medication-assisted opioid treatment program with up to $1 million in funding. The clinic will be located at the New York State McPike Addiction Treatment Center.

The Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services will fund a Family Support Navigator to help families deal with addiction. The $100,000 pilot initiative will kick off in Oneida County.

The State will establish and fund a new emergency department-based peer advocate position for substance abuse assistance. With $150,000 in support, a locally-based peer advocate expert in substance abuse disorders will be on-call in emergency departments to connect patients to addiction treatment following stabilization.

The Department of Health will expand the prescription drug drop box program to law enforcement agencies in the Mohawk Valley region.

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